50s racers: don't you just love them?

[dinkel]

Mark Knopfler has a Maserati 300S, 3 litre six with 240 brake. It's not this one BTW.















The 60s racers touch the temporary stuff, but 50s cars still have that 'moving sculpture' kinda aura don't you think?

ETA: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze6Cn4Lc3Gw

Edited by dinkel on Sunday 9th March 21:44

[austin]

Hmmmm, looks rather tasty. Guessing that the wall that took a chink out of one corner thought the same...

[dinkel]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=oJYj65LlZiM

A peek around a 300 and some more period cars during the MM'07.

[Forthright MC]

love that 300, the bottom pic especially, the "moving sculpture" bit really sums it up well!
50' racers have real grace as well as pace, check here for period footage! - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=S5YyTTcTnXo&feat...

(ETA a different vid, Dink was obviously watching the same one as me!)

Edited by Forthright MC on Sunday 9th March 22:21

[Forthright MC]

see here for a bit more tasty stuff from around the time too - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=YDiK5zDBUx8

[215cu]

Mercedes 300SLR is my favourite. Powered by a mix of Petrol/Benzene or Petrol/Alcohol. 310Bhp. The spaceframe/magnesium alloy body was decades ahead of the game weighting in at 880Kg. However, this car has a fearsome reputation, the drum brakes were next to hopeless relying on a air-brake at the rear. It also has the unenviable reputation of killing 82 spectators at Le Mans.

But driven by Jenks/Moss in the Mille Miglia, it was perhaps the greatest drive of any racing driver ever setting an all-time fastest time. I don't consider anyone to be a true petrolhead until they have read "With Moss In The Mille Miglia".

Moss is a legend and with Jenks as his co-pilot, a journalistic legend never surpassed in motor racing. Awesome stuff.

[dinkel]

You gotta love this Merc.

[lowdrag]

What astounds me about some of the cars of the 1950's though are the wheels. How they could transmit the torque and power without breaking the spokes is amazing. The C types of 51 & 52 had only 54 spoke wheels whereas the standard XK120 had 60. They changed to these for the 53 C type in the end. A bit unfair on the Mercedes at Le Mans though - it wasn't Levegh's fault really. Anyway, if you are going to look at a Mercedes that could have killed loads of spectators you only have to go back 10 years. The one that took off between Mulsanne and Arnage landed 60 yds off the course; imagine that on pit straight...............

[215cu]

lowdrag said:

What astounds me about some of the cars of the 1950's though are the wheels. How they could transmit the torque and power without breaking the spokes is amazing. The C types of 51 & 52 had only 54 spoke wheels whereas the standard XK120 had 60. They changed to these for the 53 C type in the end. A bit unfair on the Mercedes at Le Mans though - it wasn't Levegh's fault really. Anyway, if you are going to look at a Mercedes that could have killed loads of spectators you only have to go back 10 years. The one that took off between Mulsanne and Arnage landed 60 yds off the course; imagine that on pit straight...............

Yeah, I am being unfair, however, the alloy did catch fire due a high concentration of magnesium. Also Mercedes stayed out of racing for 45 odd years.

Still a stunning car though.

[lowdrag]

Well, once again yes, but it wasn't the bodywork that caused most of the deaths. Most were caused by the engine carrying on into the crowd at 150mph and also by the extremely flammable methanol fuel they were using. I saw the photo once of the 10 yr old sitting on his father's shoulders. Sadly the child had no head. I hope never to see that photo again.

[dinkel]

However all true and inevitably related to the 50s machines I'd like to carry on in a bit lighter tone . . .

What car do you guys consider is the turning point from 50s to 60s racingcars? The '63 Lola Mk 6? Maybe even the Lister Jags or Pork Speedster . . .

http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=srPUgaA0Fx0&feat...
GTX.

[AJAX50]

Maybe the Lotus 23 in 1962, it destroyed all the old heavy weights.

dinkel said:

However all true and inevitably related to the 50s machines I'd like to carry on in a bit lighter tone . . .

What car do you guys consider is the turning point from 50s to 60s racingcars? The '63 Lola Mk 6? Maybe even the Lister Jags or Pork Speedster . . .

http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=srPUgaA0Fx0&feat...
GTX.

[215cu]

AJAX50 said:

Maybe the Lotus 23 in 1962, it destroyed all the old heavy weights.

dinkel said:

However all true and inevitably related to the 50s machines I'd like to carry on in a bit lighter tone . . .

What car do you guys consider is the turning point from 50s to 60s racingcars? The '63 Lola Mk 6? Maybe even the Lister Jags or Pork Speedster . . .

http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=srPUgaA0Fx0&feat...
GTX.

Yeah, the 23 is a compelling car especially with Clark at the wheel.

Also banned at Le Mans by the French on technical grounds, in other words, it was too good.

[DBSV8]

215cu said:

Mercedes 300SLR is my favourite. Powered by a mix of Petrol/Benzene or Petrol/Alcohol. 310Bhp. The spaceframe/magnesium alloy body was decades ahead of the game weighting in at 880Kg. However, this car has a fearsome reputation, the drum brakes were next to hopeless relying on a air-brake at the rear. It also has the unenviable reputation of killing 82 spectators at Le Mans.

But driven by Jenks/Moss in the Mille Miglia, it was perhaps the greatest drive of any racing driver ever setting an all-time fastest time. I don't consider anyone to be a true petrolhead until they have read "With Moss In The Mille Miglia".

Moss is a legend and with Jenks as his co-pilot, a journalistic legend never surpassed in motor racing. Awesome stuff.

Moss is a legend but I would wager that he would not be the easiest driver to get along with for a co -pilot.

interview here
http://autos.msn.com/as/minishow/videogallery.aspx...

Edited by DBSV8 on Tuesday 11th March 08:38

[dinkel]

Good link that. Thanx.